Friday Follies....

It's Friday. The beginning of the weekend. I'm exhausted and somewhat brain-dead. I've pretty much chalked this week up to a loss and am hoping that next week will be better. So, as an end to my week, I thought I'd just share some random follies with you......

This morning as I was running some errands, I decided to stop at a couple garage sales. At the last one I stopped at, I managed to snag a Disney Princess roller bag , a Disney princess umbrella, 3 Disney princess Barbie dolls, and a Disney Princess wooden shelf with hooks, and one of those educational wooden toys for Nudgie (you know, the ones where your kid has to move the objects along this maze of wire) -- all for $13. Today I am "the bestest mommy in the world." (Sure Nani, just remember that when you're 13 and I refuse to let you wear a skirt that barely covers your tush!)

I can't figure out how to embed video yet -- but give me time! In the meantime, I wanted to share a video clip of Nani singing "Part of Your World" from the Little Mermaid when she was 3. I hope the link works for you!

Nani Sings The Little Mermaid

Friday night is usually movie night here in The Toy Box Household. After the girls are in bed, My Marine and I will dine on "pub grub" - usually wings and maybe some spinach dip - and then pick a movie to watch. I've had "Inkheart" here ever since we got back from Pittsburgh - and I'm dying to see it. Hopefully tonight will be the night.

In order to prevent another embarrassing chocolate incident like the one I posted on Not Me! Monday, I stopped by the grocery store this morning and stocked up on jars of hot fudge (2/$4 with my frequent shopper card!) I've got a jar in the fridge as we speak! I also bought a container of chocolate sprinkles and some strawberries. I figure the strawberries will balance out the chocolate, right? RIGHT???

Tomorrow I am going to try to get some scrapbooking done -- in my own home. No more classes for me! Hopefully I'll have some pages to share with you next week!

The girls are finally on the mend - not completely better, but a huge improvement from earlier in the week. Thanks to everyone who emailed their concern and well-wishes for them. I really appreciate it!

And finally, I can't imagine my life now without this blogging outlet and my new blogging buddies. I now have a place to come and share my thoughts, my pride about my children & husband, and my frustrations -- and know that I won't be judged because someone else out there has gone through the same thing. I've made so many new cyber-friends and even won a contest for the first time in my life! This is an outlet that I don't think I could live without now! Hee! Hee! So, thank you all who have befriended me. I started off with 1 follower -- and now I'm up to 32!! I couldn't be happier!

On that note -- I'm going to wish all of you a fantastic weekend and then go grab a spoonful of hot fudge!

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Little Picasso

I've been laying pretty low since my girls have gotten sick. I had hoped to do a number of activities this week, but it was all I could do to get dressed and get to doctor's appointments. On Wednesday, I had Nudge at the doctor. (It's starting already -- what one sister does, the other has to do too.) Turns out that Nudge has some pretty serious grass allergies - so much so that it's starting to affect her skin. Poor thing's little tush and thighs are just covered in the most painful-looking rash. So, I made another trip to the pharmacy.... The kind pharmacist - recognizing that this is my 4th trip in two days - had slipped a frequent prescription card into my bag. This lovely piece of plastic gives me additional discounts on my prescriptions and other merchandise in the store, as well as a reward program.

Anyway -- we've been laying low, sticking close to home. I've probably slept a total of 6 hours over the past two nights. I've been up with Nadija a lot during the night -- mostly just keeping an ear out for her raspy breathing. During those late night/early morning hours, I've gone through Season 2 of 30 Rock and Season 4 of The Closer on DVD, a case of Pepsi, and I don't know how many pots of coffee. I also got over 100 items listed in my eBay store (Hey, I've got to pay for these prescriptions somehow!) I suppose I should have been more productive -- like folding laundry. Come naptime during the day, I'm too exhausted to even think about vacuuming or folding laundry. My house right now looks like our governor should declare it as a disaster area. (Hmmm....can I qualify for federal funding?)

Today was the first day that Nani was actually feeling up to doing something. So I thought we'd spend some time out in the backyard painting. I hoped that the fresh air would do the girls some good. What I got was some good mountain air and an art lesson in simplicity.

As the control freak that I am, it was hard for me not to control what Nani was doing with the paint. I caught myself a few times wanting to say to her, "Don't you want to use that color" or "That's not what color elephants are." Finally, I had to silently tell myself to stop -- you're squashing her creativity. I just let it go and just waited to see what my little Picasso would create.

>

I asked her to paint some of the animals that we saw at the zoo the other day. Anyone want to take a guess at what she painted? To give you a little help - the top photo has 4 animals..... (I'll share the correct animals in my next blog!)

Then Nani moved on to paint a thunderstorm

And the grand finale was a painting of her family (Notice the tiny little pigtail she painted on the top of Nudge's head? I also bet My Marine will be surprised to know he has purple hair too!)

And yes -- mommy did get into the fun too!

It's amazing how much you forget when you grow up and become an adult. It was nice to just let go....and not paint within the lines.... I don't know about you, but I think everyone should paint or color or play with playdough every once in awhile.

Even if you don't have kids, it's never too late to be one yourself!

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Adventures in Mothering

I've had a horrible day. It was one of those days where I should have called it quits by 9:30am, gone home, crawled into bed and start the day all over again, I would have. Maybe I just wouldn't have gotten up. Honestly, today was nothing short of an adventure in motherhood - and judging from my clothing choice this morning - apparently God has a sense of humor and thought I was in the mood for an adventure too.....

I start at Target to drop off a roll of film from yesterday's trip to the zoo. The photo tech. - who couldn't have been more than 15 yrs. old - tells me that they won't be processing any film for two days because they are upgrading their equipment. Grrrrr......

Then, this morning was supposed to be Nani's first ballet class (and no, it wasn't at the Mommie Dearest School of Dance & Charm). I was incredibly excited - both for her and for me. I would get to see my baby girl in her natural habitat -- a dance studio! We get to the studio and the lady at the desk tells me that the dance studio is on the 2nd floor - and no, they do not have an elevator. So, am I supposed to hump up two flights of stairs with a stroller? What do they do for people in wheelchairs or do they assume that our town doesn't have any handicapped people living in it?

The lady at the desk also tells me that Nani would need appropriate dancewear for the next class. Huh? It's a preschool dance class for 4 yr. olds. I assumed she'd need ballet shoes, but nowhere in the brochure did it say to dress your child appropriately (translation - spend another $50 on leotards, tights, etc.) By this time I was starting a slow burn..... Now I'm torn -- do I take her home, stop on the way, buy all the dance stuff, and start again next week OR let her go and take the chance that she's not the only one with a flighty mom who didn't think to ask if there was a uniform for the dance class.

Dance class had to take a back seat though, because somewhere between our driveway and the dance studio, Nani decided to have her first ever ear infection. She's tilting her head and saying that her ear hurts. Uh oh. She keeps pointing to her right ear saying that "it hurts bad mommy, I need to see the doctor". Now this is a major thing for my daughter to want to skip a dance class in favor of the doctor.

So, we left and I tried calling her doctor - who "can't see her at all today, but we can get you in at 2pm tomorrow." Sorry, not good enough. My baby is in pain and we're taking care of this TODAY! So, as a fall-back, I call her old pediatrician's office who said bring her in at 11am (it's now 10am). So, to kill time (and to take her mind off the pain), I take Nani to Starbucks and get her a frappacino and then head to the library. On the way to the library, I hear this pitiful little cry from the backseat. I turn around and see Nudge with the grossest runny nose I have ever seen. (Now, I can take the vomit and crappy diapers -- but I hate - HATE - the runny nose!) Sigh!

At the doctor's office, I can't find my insurance card. I'm assuming that it's somewhere in the house after the many times Nudge has gotten into my bag and dumped the contents of my wallet everywhere. (I'm still looking for my library card.) I give them My Marine's name - surely they can look the information up this way. No luck. The "system" is telling the nice, young girl behind the desk that My Marine and my family don't exist in the health insurance system. Don't panic....I tell myself. Just call My Marine at work and get him to give you the information off HIS insurance card. Easy - right? WRONG? Seems that SOMEONE doesn't carry his insurance card in his "every day" wallet. It's in the "special" wallet that's sitting on the top of his dresser. If I could have reached through the phone to choke him, I would have. So, now I have to reschedule the appointment, drive back home, find the card, drive back to the doctor's office and hope that the "system" can find us now. Twenty minutes later, I'm told that I don't have a copay and that the doctor will see us soon. Sweet!

After the doctor, I made my rounds of 4 different kid's consignment stores looking for a black leotard, pink tights, and pink ballet shoes. Fortunately, I managed to find all three along with a new Leap Frog toy for Nudge and a Little Mermaid vanity for Nani. (I know, I'm such an enabler.....)

At the car, while loading Nudge in her carseat, Nani decides to "help" mommy and close the tailgate of the Jeep.......on her fingers. After opening the door faster than you can say "S*#T!!!!", I rolled my eyes heavenward and just asked God to help me with my patience for the rest of the day. God must have been taking a coffee break when I uttered that little prayer.......

Back in the car, I had to make a stop for a Freecycle pickup. Not an easy feat today. I drove around for 10 minutes looking for the darn place and once I did find it, the stuff I was supposed to pick up wasn't there and the kid that answered the door had no clue what I was talking about. I was very disappointed because this was a couple bags of clothes for the girls.

On the way to the pharmacy, Nudge's cries are getting more hoarse and more pitiful, Nani keeps rubbing her ear, and I'm wondering why I'm feeling so darn shaky. I look at the clock in the Jeep and realize that it's 2pm! I've been gone since 9am and haven't eaten yet - no wonder I can physically feel my blood sugar plummeting!

At 2:10pm, I get a voice mail from My Marine saying, "I hope Nani's ok and by the way - I'm flying late tonight....be home around midnight...."

At 2:15pm, I decided to self-medicate myself with Taco Bell and the biggest Pepsi they had. I had to resist the urge to ask them if they could start offering bucket-sized Pepsi's on their menu. They'd have a customer for life if they did!

Got home, drugged the girls - Nani with her prescriptions and Nudge with Benedryl (per the doctor's instructions), grabbed my own "medicine" and headed down to the couch to put my feet up and watch Wife Swap and Dr. Phil. I wasn't even going to ATTEMPT anything else on my to do list for today.

But you know, it was all wiped away when I went upstairs to check on the girls and caught these priceless moments. (Seems that Nani is already feeling better -- Nudge, not so much...)

And then before bedtime, Nani said to me -- "Mommy don't worry....God will make me & Nudgie all better and He'll make you feel all better too."

Can you hear my heart melting?! I guess today wasn't such a bad adventure after all!

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Tuesday MckLinky Blog Hop - Favorite Photo

There's some new fun out in Blogland -- It's the Blog Hop! Hosted by MckMama and Brent Riggs, it's the latest thing for visiting other blogs and see what others are doing!

Today's BlogHop theme is "A Favorite Photograph". To participate, post up one of your favorite photographs and a caption that tells us about it.

As some of you know, my Nani is obsessed with the Little Mermaid. Just about everything she owns revolves around Ariel and her happy-go-lucky underwater friends. For those who follow my posts, you know how much Nani LOVES to sing ALL the songs from the Little Mermaid -- even at the most inopportune times. (Remember the 3am serenadeI received a few weeks back?)

Well, with that obsession in mind, it is only appropriate that I share these pictures in today's BlogHop.

The first is of Nani and a mermaid. Now mind you, she does not know that this is NOT Ariel. When we were in Pittsburgh, we took Nani on a children's riverboat cruise, complete with a performance of "The Monongahela Mermaid". The story revolved around the theme of keeping the rivers clean.....a concept that really went over the heads of the 3- and 4-yr. olds who were watching the performance. All they saw was Ariel picking up a bunch of river garbage.....but hey - Nani was in heaven thinking she was seeing Ariel up close and personal. (And we're not going to tell her anything otherwise -- are we?!)

The next photo, I seriously think needs no explanation. The red scarf is courtesy of my mother (who often cleans out closets and drawers and sends me the junk that she doesn't want to throw away....)

Now, let's see some of YOUR photos!

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Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


I really have only one "Not Me" to share this week -- but believe me -- it's a doozy! There's a little backstory here....

A few months ago, a friend of mine invited me to one of those infamous ladies-only parties. I really didn't want to go, but I thought -- ok, it's time to add the "Va" back in the "Va-Voom" - so I went.

It was one of those typical parties -- lots of sweet snacks, too much wine, lots of giggling, and the discreet ordering system. I love how the hostess of the party has everything set up in a back room of her home - usually a guest bedroom or home office. This particular discreet ordering room consisted of eyelet bedspreads, lace curtains, and religious artifacts spread throughout the room. Nothing screams virginal and chastity more than the Sacred Heart of Jesus looking down on you as you decide between the strawberry- or mint-flavored love balm.

In the end, I gave in to the temptation and purchased a small jar of "Love Chocolate" and a few other choice marital aids. I got home that night and put my goodies away - waiting for the right evening. Fast forward three months later.....we've had sick kids, sick dogs, weeks of late nights of working, vacation, and many other life bumps that put a major kink into planning an evening of romance. The marital aids are still wrapped and unused.....until late Thursday night.....

I had a major craving for something sweet - and the healthy fruit snacks just weren't cutting it. In my desperate attempt for a chocolate fix, I did not remember that I had purchased a martial aid of the chocolate pursuasion. I did not search the house, trying to remember where I stashed that small jar of "Love Chocolate". Once found, in the kitchen cabinet where I keep my baking supplies, I did not scoop out a spoonful, scarf it down, and then figure that all's lost anyway - and pour the rest of the jar over the healthy fruit snack that I piled into a small cereal bowl. (It was a small jar....)

Once consumed, I did not rinse out the jar and hide it in the bottom of the recycling bin so that my Marine wouldn't think 1) that I was having an affair or 2) that nothing, absolutely, nothing can come between me and a chocolate fix!

(Hanging my head in shame while licking the last drops of chocolate from my spoon......)



And don't forget about the scrapbooking giveaway that I'm doing! You can enter up until July 10th - at which time a lucky winner will be chosen to receive a box of scrapbooking supplies! All you need to do is go to my previous post about scrapbooking and leave a comment. That's it!

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Rocky Mountain High.....

No, I haven't been smoking anything today......

But, if you told me 5 years ago that someday I'd be living in Colorado, I'd laugh and ask you what you've been smoking! Well folks, here we are.....four years into living in the Rocky Mountain state. Thanks to my Marine transferring units in 2005, we now call Colorado home. Don't get me wrong -- home is in Colorado, but Pittsburgh will always have my heart.

Since we've been here, every once in awhile we decide to go on a field trip. We pack a small cooler with snacks, pack the kids in the car, open the atlas and off we drive. We have seen some beautiful scenery this way. We just drive........ Today we took another one of those field trips. We packed the car early and headed up northwest of Denver to Estes Park. It was a beautiful drive up -- a little hazy and foggy. But the sun broke through and it ended up being a nice day. So, I'd love to share with you a little piece of our field trip today..........(cue music for John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High")

On the road to Estes Park

Still some snow on the mountain tops in July!






Rock formation called "Twin Owls"




Estes Park is a ski town - but during the summer also has a pretty booming tourist industry thanks to camping, fishing, and rafting through Rocky Mountain National Park, among other outdoorsy sports. There's a main street with lots of kitschy, souvenir shops, restaurants, and ice cream joints. As you walk down the main street, if you make a right, you're right along the River Walk - which is lined with more restaurants and plenty of seating to watch the water roll by. If you're lucky, like we were today, you just might see some local wildlife.


Along the River Walk












Elk




I decided to try my hand at some creative photography






Ice cream for the girls






By the end of the day, that fresh mountain air did the girls in...they slept the whole way home!

I love living in Colorado. There's just so much to see and do -- and we're hoping to raise our girls to love the outdoors and nature. I'm a girl from the suburbs -- I've never been fishing or camping....I learned to ski once (and I'll stick to hot chocolate in the cabin in front of the fire, thank you very much!). But I'm game for trying anything -- I'd love to learn to rock climb, go rafting down the rapids, go horseback riding on the trails, and go camping and hiking. I may be from the 'burbs, but I do love nature and truly do appreciate all that God has created and given us to enjoy!

And don't forget about the scrapbooking giveaway that I'm doing! You can enter up until July 10th - at which time a lucky winner will be chosen to receive a box of scrapbooking supplies! All you need to do is go to my previous post about scrapbooking and leave a comment. That's it!

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